Essay:If I were dictator...

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Essay.svg This essay is an original work by NDSP 16:29, 9 May 2011 (UTC).
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If I were dictator of Rationalwiki, I would do as follows:

Promote Everyone[edit]

Q)Why?

A)Because if I don't promote everyone back to a clean (or acceptably grimy) slate, sorting it all out would be a disaster/filled with butthurt.

Make Rules[edit]

Q)Why, as we never needed them before?

A)There are now a lot of users! Blocks, pre/demotion and CP cause endless HCM which really puts off a n00b who sees RC clogged with bans, personal attacks, and the Chicken Coop.

Q)I thought we had rules?

A)We do, but many are happily ignored and if one is broken, people HCM, LANCB, wait a few days and then carry on regardless.

New Promotion System[edit]

  • Mini-sysop: the majority of users. You can vandal bin vandals, you can rollback vandals, and you don't leave dirty red ! on my recent changes list. Prove yourself basicly harmless, and this is your group.
  • Sysop: You have current sysop powers, plus the ability to promote peons to mini-sysop. Unlike current status, there would be only a few of you, and you would be expected to be dedicated members of the site, and mature. (NoFew random banhammers!)
  • Ninjas: Given when needed to our resident ocd-categorisers. This is to stop them clogging RC, and does not reflect on their importance.
  • 'Crat: Its lonely up here! You are no different to current 'crats, but there are only 5 or 6 of you. You will likely overlap with Foundation members though this is not a requirement. You role in disputes would be similar to that of the LJ, i.e. to make them gone.
  • (Me - I am the dictator, after all!)


The membership of a group is decided by Yea or Nay vote by those in the group itself or those above it (except ninja - this is given on successful application to 'crats). This is probably waived in the case of mini-sysop, for which you must be no more than mostly harmless.

Some users will not be promoted at all; these will be those who are frequently off-mission, and need to be overseen (Rob, JimJast etc).

Q) But I has no banhammerz! WHY? A) Very few people use them, vandal bin is enough for most vandals, sysops can deal with spambots!

Q) FACISM! (Ok, not actually a question, as such) A) Yes, there are more rules, but hopefully it won't disolve into cabals; if that happens, the mob order them to disband/resign. Everyone should have to answer to the mob.

Ban Conservapedia[edit]

For perhaps a month; if our traffic plummets, consider this rule cancelled. However, I would promote growth away from CP quite strongly. Ideally, I woulkd intertwine the CP coverage with serveral other (perhaps all) clogs, and WIGO:ASK.

Socks[edit]

They are site heritage, so they would be allowed (and encouraged), but using them for voting, personal attacks or starting HCM is strongly discouraged, and 'crats will be advised to checkuser then ban you.

Clarification[edit]

Ask on the talk page, I will add your comments